Mouse systems for providing cursor position control signals to video displays are well known. In general, such mouse systems provide relative information to the display to enable repositioning of a cursor. The mouse provides position signals indicative of an amount and direction of its travel, which signals cause the cursor to be moved a like amount and direction. Mouse systems use both mechanical and optical position detecting means to enable the generation of their cursor position signals.
One problem with prior art mouse systems is that they require the availability of a relatively flat dedicated surface over which the mouse can be moved. Such a surface area is not always available on a user's desk. Furthermore, such mouse systems only provide x-y data and provide no ability to input z dimension data for control of a display's functions.
An allied technology i.e., acoustic position location systems, has been used to provide absolute position input information for digital systems. Such acoustic systems are employed for direct digitization of spatial x, y and z dimension points and enable subsequent computer analysis of the device/space/system whose points are digitized. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,148 to the inventor hereof, entitled "Acoustic Digitizing System", a position sensing apparatus is described wherein an acoustic point source transmitter transmits a sequence of periodic oscillations, which oscillations are employed to enable the location of the point source transmitter. The position determination is open loop, depends upon analysis of an initial portion of a received acoustic signal and is relatively noise-immune. The teachings of the '148 Patent are incorporated herein by reference.
Additional related teachings of the inventor hereof may be found in copending U.S. patent application Ser .Nos. 07/606,558, entitled "Omni-Directional Ultrasonic Transducer", Ser. No. 07/606,551 entitled "Circuit For Driving An Acoustic Transducer"; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/606,582 entitled "Acoustic Signal Detection Circuit". The disclosures of each of the three aforementioned patent applications are incorporated herein by reference.
In addition to the above-noted, cross referenced patent and patent applications, the following references are representative of other types of acoustic position input devices. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,588 of Davis et al., an acoustic position location system is described which employs a spark gap mounted in a stylus to generate acoustic signals. Piezoelectric receivers are employed to convert the acoustic signals to electrical signals, which signals are then employed to determine the spatial position of the spark gap. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,552 to Stefik et al., a cordless acoustic position determination system is described wherein an infrared system is used to enable the stylus to indicate to the receiver system when an acoustic signal has been generated, thereby enabling the receiver to be prepared to determine the distance of the stylus when the acoustic signals are received by receiving transducers.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved mouse system for a display.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved mouse system which provides x, y and z dimensional data for input to a display.
It is still another object of this invention to provide an acoustic mouse that provides absolute x y and z data for control of display functions.
It is another object of this invention to provide an acoustic mouse which can be directly mounted on a user's hand.